Process of fusing beryllium chloride



Aprifi 8, N42 H. 's. COOPER 2,283,235

PROCESS OF FUSING OF BERYLLIUM CHLORIDE Filed Nov. 28, 1940 INVENTOR Hum: SLooPER Patented Apr. 28, 1942 2,281,235 I PROCESS OF'FUSING BERYLLIUM CHLORIDE Hugh S. Cooper, New York, N. IL, assign'or to Cooper-Wilford Beryllium, Ltd, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware 1 Application November 28, 1940, Serial No. 367,623

1 Claim.

This invention relates to the production of fused beryllium chloride.

An object of this invention is to make a form of anhydrous beryllium chloride that is less reactive with the atmosphere than has been possible with the formation of beryllium chloride according to the prior art.

Another object is to effect a fused form of beryllium chloride.

Still another object is to produce a form of beryllium chloride particularly effective for easy and economical production of berylliumthenefrom.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification.

The drawing represents an illustrative diagrammatic section of the apparatus with which the method of this invention is practised.

In the manufacture of pure beryllium metal the common method is the electrolysis of anhydrous beryllium chloride in a suitable fused salt bath. For this and other purposes'the anhydrous chloride is made by the chlorination of the oxide or other oxy-compound of beryllium, usually at a temperature between 800 C. and 1000 C.

Since the vaporization temperature of the chloride is far below its temperature of formation in the chlorinator, it is of necessity-recovered by condensation. This produces a light, flufiy, and highly porous mass of thin needle crystals. In this form the chloride is extremely reactive with the atmosphere and can be stored for only a short time without deterioration, and only then by the exercise of extreme precautions and care. The use of this chloride of the prior art in an electrolytic bath for the making of beryllium is also a matter of considerable difiiculty. When it is added to the bath it tends to float on the surface where it vaporizes and oxidizes instead of going quickly into solution. The part These and other dimculties of the storage and use of beryllium chloride are overcome by its use in massive fused form. Since beryllium chloride vaporizes directly from the solid however, and

veniently be made of steel. The cylinder l is permanently closed at the bottom end. At its top the cylinder has a removable cap 2 held tightly in place by any convenient means, as for instance, the bolts 3 and the flange l. Drilled through the cap 2 is a hole 5 into which is screwed a short piece of pipe t. At its other end the pipe 6, carries a valve 1, which in turn communicates with a shortpiece of pipe 8, used to carry away efiluent gases. If desired the valve I may be an automatic check valve preventing gases from travelling inward toward the cylinder.

Inside the cylinder i is a liner f9-which can conveniently be made of sheet iron or the like. This liner also comprises a cylinder closed at the bottom only. This liner fits loosely into'the cylinder l with its bottom resting on the bottom of the cylinder. The liner 9 is filled with the ordinary fiuiiy beryllium chloride 90, in the'iorm in which it comes from the chlorinator. This chloride is tamped in place to increase the content as much as is conveniently possible.

Aiter the liner has been filled and placed in the cylinder, the cap 2 is securely fastened in place. The whole assembly is then placed in any suitable furnace such as is describedbelow and After a little while when the interior of the its liquid phase and is not easily obtainable under ordinary conditions, the melting of it is not normally either a simple or an easy procedure,

\ but it is rendered both simple and easy by means say, for gas or oil having flame projection it as will be clear.

Heat is now applied to the furnace and at the same time thevalve l is opened Just a crack.

cylinder has reached a temperature of about 100 0., fumes will start to be emitted from the point the valve 1 may be closed tightly without risk of building up any dangerous pressure in the cy inde The at g s continu d for a time longer, to make sure that all parts of the cylinder have reached a temperature of about 400 0., but without greatly exceeding that temperature. The valve 1 is tightly closed before the furnace is opened, in any case. and-certainly before any drop in temperature is permitted internally of the cylinder i. t

The cylinder is now removed from the furnace and permitted to cool. The cap 2 is then removed and'the liner 9, with its contents, is withdrawn from the cylinder. In the bottom of the liner is found a solid fused mass of beryllium chloride. It adheres very tightly tothe sheet iron of the liner but it can be removed by hammering the sides of the liner. The material so recovered is completely solid, and relatively hard and dense.

menses In the atmosphere it deteriorates only very slowly, particularly if it is kept in the form oi lumps. When it is added to a fused electrolytic bath it dissolves very rapidly with negligible vaporization. frothing, or oxidation, and results in larger electrolytic yields of metal.

Having described my invention the claim is as follows: i The process of fusing beryllium chloride which comprises heating it in a closed vessel to a temperature of about 300 C. while permitting the generated vapors to escape, and thereafter heating to a temperature of about 400 C. while keeping the vessel tightly closed.

HUGH S. COOPER. 

